Occupation · SOC 27-3092
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impaired viewers.
Median wage
$67,310
$39,100–$127,020
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
12,630
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
37 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningWritingReading ComprehensionTime ManagementSpeakingMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessCritical ThinkingActive LearningQuality Control AnalysisComplex Problem SolvingLearning StrategiesJudgment and Decision MakingCoordinationSystems AnalysisService OrientationOperations MonitoringTroubleshootingSystems EvaluationPersuasionOperation and ControlNegotiationMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesEquipment MaintenanceRepairingInstructingEquipment SelectionProgrammingOperations AnalysisTechnology DesignScienceManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesInstallation
Knowledge areas
English LanguageAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsLaw and GovernmentCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementCommunications and MediaPublic Safety and SecurityProduction and ProcessingEconomics and AccountingTelecommunicationsEngineering and TechnologyTransportationPersonnel and Human ResourcesEducation and TrainingSales and MarketingMedicine and DentistryPsychologyGeographyMathematicsSociology and AnthropologyPhilosophy and TheologyHistory and ArcheologyMechanicalTherapy and CounselingChemistryForeign LanguagePhysicsFood ProductionFine ArtsDesignBuilding and ConstructionBiology
Technology & tools
Acclaim Legal Acclaim DepoManageAcculaw Court Reporters Billing Scheduling Job Management System ABSMSAdvantage Software Total EclipseAudioScribe SpeechCATChase Software Solutions Court Reporting SoftwareCheetah International SmartCATCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteCourtpagesCourtroom Data Solutions TechlenniumElectronic Transcript Software ProTEXTEquative TimeLedgerForTheRecord TheRecord PlayerGigatron StenoCATHTH Engineering Start-Stop PowerPlayMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordNuance Dragon NaturallySpeakingOMTI ReporterBaseProCAT WinnerReporterWorksStenograph Case CATalystStenovations Digital CATThomson West LiveNoteVocEditWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Documenting/Recording InformationWorking with ComputersGetting InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProcessing InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkPerforming Administrative ActivitiesScheduling Work and ActivitiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationAssisting and Caring for OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesControlling Machines and ProcessesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsAnalyzing Data or InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleTraining and Teaching OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersCoaching and Developing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentHandling and Moving ObjectsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsThinking CreativelyMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentStaffing Organizational Units
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Verbatim recording equipment — operate under direct supervision during simulated or observed court proceedings.Electronic stenograph machine keystrokes — practice and apply following established training protocols in a classroom or entry-level court setting.Inaudible or unclear speaker statements — recognize and request clarification under the guidance of a supervising reporter.Shorthand notes from court sessions — file and store following office procedures with direct oversight.Transcript proofreading — perform basic review for spelling errors using word processing software under supervisor direction.Established transcript formats — apply consistently when transcribing recorded proceedings from provided templates.Court exhibits — log and store under supervision according to clerk office protocols.English language conventions — apply foundational grammar and vocabulary rules when preparing draft transcripts.Voice recognition software — use at a beginner level to support transcription tasks in a supervised work environment.Transcript requests from judges or lawyers — acknowledge and route to a supervising reporter following established office procedures.
developing
Verbatim proceedings — record routinely using computerized stenograph equipment during live court sessions with minimal oversight.Transcript drafts — proofread independently for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors before submission to the court clerk's office.Speaker clarification — initiate professionally and efficiently during committee meetings or depositions to maintain accurate records.Completed transcripts — provide to judges, lawyers, or members of the public upon request following court timelines and confidentiality standards.Recorded proceedings — transcribe in compliance with jurisdiction-specific formatting requirements using word processing and office suite software.Court exhibit records — manage logging and storage consistently across multiple cases within a clerk's office environment.Shorthand session notes — organize, label, and archive systematically to support efficient retrieval during ongoing litigation.Time management — apply effectively to balance simultaneous captioning assignments and transcript delivery deadlines in a court or legislative setting.Law and government terminology — use accurately when transcribing legal proceedings to ensure record integrity.Electronic mail and database software — use to communicate transcript status and respond to stakeholder inquiries in a court services environment.
proficient
Complex verbatim proceedings — capture autonomously at high speed and accuracy using stenomasks, electronic stenographs, or computerized systems across varied legal and legislative venues.Multi-speaker or high-volume transcripts — proofread and finalize independently, resolving ambiguous content through contextual legal knowledge and established reference resources.Real-time simultaneous captioning — provide during live court proceedings or broadcast events, maintaining accuracy and compliance with accessibility standards.Legible and properly formatted court transcripts — file with the court clerk's office without supervision, ensuring full compliance with local, state, or federal court rules.Non-routine clarification situations — handle with professional assertiveness, including interrupting proceedings appropriately to preserve transcript accuracy.Full exhibit and record lifecycle — oversee independently from intake through storage and retrieval across concurrent court cases.Voice recognition and ERP software — configure and troubleshoot to optimize transcription workflow in a professional court reporting environment.Transcript turnaround commitments — manage autonomously, prioritizing urgent judicial requests against regular delivery schedules without supervisor guidance.Confidential case records — safeguard with strict adherence to ethical and legal standards governing court documentation and public records access.Legislative assembly and committee proceedings — record and transcribe autonomously, adapting to procedural variations across different governmental bodies.
advanced
Court reporting standards and best practices — establish and communicate across a team of reporters and captioners to ensure organizational quality and consistency.Emerging transcription technologies — evaluate, select, and implement at an organizational level to modernize workflow and improve court record accuracy.Junior and developing court reporters — mentor and assess, providing structured feedback on stenography technique, transcript quality, and professional conduct.Agency-wide transcript formatting and filing policies — develop and enforce in alignment with court administrative requirements and evolving legal mandates.Real-time captioning accessibility programs — lead design and delivery of, collaborating with court administrators to meet ADA and public access obligations.Cross-functional relationships with judges, court clerks, and legal counsel — cultivate strategically to align reporting services with institutional needs and procedural changes.Organizational competency framework for court reporters — design and oversee, mapping skill progression from entry-level recording to advanced simultaneous captioning.Technology adoption roadmaps — author for court reporting divisions, integrating voice recognition, database, and ERP systems into long-term operational planning.Ethical and legal compliance protocols — lead development of, ensuring all reporters adhere to confidentiality, integrity, and chain-of-custody requirements across the organization.Stakeholder reporting on transcript services — prepare and deliver to court leadership and government bodies, using data from time accounting and database systems to guide resource decisions.
Also known as
24 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR)Court MonitorCourt RecorderCourt Recording MonitorCourt ReporterCourt StenographerCourt TranscriberDeposition ReporterDigital Court ReporterDigital ReporterElectronic Court RecorderHearings ReporterJudicial ReporterOfficial Court ReporterRealtime CaptionerRealtime Court ReporterRecorderShorthand ReporterStenocaptionerStenographerStenotype OperatorText TranscriberTranscript ClerkVoice Writing Reporter